


The Hardest Part

by Rueitae



Series: Rue's Bad Things Happen Bingo [5]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: AU of The Reunion, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bad Flirting, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Gen, Hostage Situations, I Have Your Loved One, Love Confessions, Rescue Missions, prisoner pidge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2021-02-23 04:06:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23338768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rueitae/pseuds/Rueitae
Summary: Pidge left on her own to find her brother. That part was fine, because she's perfectly capable and had a short time window in which to pull it off. The part that is not fine, is that she hasn't checked in when she was supposed to. The team, and particularly Lance, isn't taking this well.
Relationships: Lance/Pidge | Katie Holt
Series: Rue's Bad Things Happen Bingo [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1668730
Comments: 9
Kudos: 37





	The Hardest Part

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LabradoriteWolf](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LabradoriteWolf/gifts).



> A canon divergence Au of The Reunion for labradoritewolf (if you have an Ao3 please tell me so I can gift this to you! I remembered the timeline to the best of my ability but I still apologize if there are some inconsistency. The request was for a villainous Lotor specifically, and if you can believe it, this is the first time he's been an antagonist in one of my fics. I hope you like it!

Lance taps his leg anxiously, tightening his grip on the throttle of the Red Lion. The two of them fly through deep space, Lance on edge and Red agitated with it’s pilot’s unease. 

He itches for something to do, anything other than stare out into the vastness of space and hoping he finds something - anything to clue him in on Pidge’s whereabouts. His gut tells him he’s on the right track, and Red dismisses any thought that his instincts are wrong, but Lance can’t help but understand how Keith felt as he was searching for Shiro with no luck. 

“You guys find anything?” Lance inquires through the comm.

“Not a thing,” Hunk tells him. “Been asking around the nearby planets she was at based on her recent communication. Other than one traumatized Unilu merchant and a group of vanished rebels, no one has seen Pidge.”

“I haven’t found anything in my sector either,” Shiro responds from the Black Lion. “Maybe Allura will have something once she’s able to come back from radio silence.”

Lance gulps. “Yeah. Yeah you’re right,” he says. “Pidge knows what she’s doing. There’s bound to be a good reason why she hasn’t contacted us.” 

He misses Pidge. A part of him wishes he had insisted he accompany her from a distance, in case something just like this were to happen. She was supposed to have checked in five varga ago, at least updating them if she’d found Matt or not. Video game nights have been lonely, unable to even play by himself as he is sick with worry for her.

His fingers twitch. Shooting a Galra sentry or three would feel really good right now.

Lights on flash quickly on the Red Lion’s console and a HUD pops up to his left. It shows a map and an anomaly in space where Lance cannot see anything with the naked eye. 

“Hey guys, I think Red’s found something. I’m gonna go silent and check it out. Sending my coordinates if I don’t check in a varga from now.”

“Copy that, Lance,” Shiro confirms. “Good luck.”

The Red Lion collapses into dark mode, the cockpit lights dimming so that the only illumination comes from systems indicators and from the emergency lights on Lance’s own armor. He’s all on his own now, but he has a focus. 

Gritting his teeth, Lance urges Red forward. “Let’s see what this thing is, Bud. Hopefully it’ll lead us to Pidge.”

Approaching the anomaly with care, Lance sweats. It’s possible it is a trap, but he can’t destroy it because then he’ll be robbed of answers. And if Pidge is indeed here, then he’d harm her as well. The desire to hurry up and attack battles with his reason to go in diplomatically. It could be a secret Blade of Marmora base for all he knows!

Lance takes a deep breath. His heart wants to fly in fast but his gut tells him to go slow.

The closer he gets the more terrified he is, overridden only by the need to make sure Pidge is alright. Reasonably, it feels more and more like a trap as the tics go by but a part of him knows he has to go in. 

The Red Lion’s snout breaks the plane, Lance’s jaw drops in amazement at the visual.

A Galra outpost.

Not a sprawling one like Central Command or even the secret space base where they'd tragically nearly lost Allura. It's half the size of a standard Galra battlecruiser and several hangars are open wide, half built ships resting inside. But none of that is what his attention lingers on.

A single  _ functional _ ship is docked along with the half-built ones and Lance recognizes it, Red's tail fidgeting as it fully enters the anomaly.

Lotor.

A wave of electricity surges through the cockpit. Lance screams in pain, releasing his control of the Red Lion and falling hard back against his chair. When it is over a split tic later, the Red Lion is dead in the water, lingering electricity crackling on the console.

"Remain in the Red Lion," Lotor's calm and commanding voice says through the still functioning comm unit. "You will be towed to the station."

Lance growls and switches the frequency to the team channel. "Guys, I've got a problem! It's Lotor and--"

The Red Lion is tugged forward violently, a tractor beam ensnaring Red and sending Lance jostling around in his chair.

"Long range communications have been disabled," Lotor says and Lance can almost see the smirk on his face - and he doesn't even know what that looks like! "You and I have a few things we need to discuss regarding your loved one."

Lance swears his heart stops. How… how had Lotor gotten his slimy hands on  _ Allura _ ? She’s only been gone for a few varga!

Lance gulps, a growing feeling of dread in his stomach as he wonders what in the universe he’s gotten into.

~~~~~~

Lotor’s companions are...unique, varied in personality as the Paladins themselves. The bulky one keeps a strong hand on his shoulder, urging him forward. The stern one with a pixie cut walks behind, pistol pointed at his back. The one with a whip-like limb attached to her head props her arm on his other shoulder, making casual conversation as they walk.

"You're so cute when you're not trying to point a blaster at us," Ezor says as Lance side eyes her, afraid to turn his head lest he run into something and make a fool of himself in front of his captors.

"Um... thanks?" he responds, feeling as though she very much wants to keep the conversation going. Maybe if he complies, he can at least gather some sort of information in apology to his teammates for getting kidnapped like a complete squib. "This is uh, nice place you got here."

"Just take him to Lotor," Acxa says in grated annoyance.

"Urgh," Ezor groans. "Fine. Left turn," she finishes brightly.

"What? Ah!" Lance nearly plants his face into the closed door inches from his nose. He's saved only by Zethrid snapping him back, the action scrambling his brain and disorienting him, purple and grey mixing together. He stumbles, unable to tell what is up and what is down. He never falls though, thanks to his villainous supports.

He barely registers Zethrid's grunt of approval and the swish of a door automatically opening.

The first thing that comes into focus is a man with long white hair standing with authority. Secondly, the fourth of Lotor's companions stands off to the side, a cat hanging comfortably off her shoulder.

The third thing, what Lotor's fourth companion holds onto, slumped over and unconscious, cuts and bruises all over, armor broken and half off, is Pidge. Not Allura.

Lance sucks in a breath, heart pounding. Seeing Pidge so limp and helpless and completely unaware of the situation makes something in his brain snap. "Pidge!" he shouts, leaning forward as far as his captors will allow.

"It is about time," Lotor says sternly, face almost neutral for having captured two of his greatest enemies with ease. "At least the Green Paladin will be pleased it was you who came for her."

Before Lotor spoke, Lance had every intention of telling him off, demanding he let the two of them go free, that he'll never get away with whatever he was planning. Instead, he gapes like a fish.

"W-what?" he squawks unflatteringly. Lance almost hopes he hears wrong, because Lotor, Emperor pro-term or whatever of the Galra Empire, is telling him that Pidge has a  _ crush _ and Lance is fairly certain that inter-Paladin relationships is the last thing a Paladin of Voltron should be discussing with Zarkon's  _ son _ .

Lotor is as calm and elegant as he was when he made fools of them all during their first meeting. "Katie's mind is a fascinating place," he says. Lance sucks in a terrible shuddering breath. If Lotor is in Pidge's mind - confirmed with how he knows her  _ name _ \- then he knows  _ everything _ about Coalition operations.

They are screwed.

"She likes you quite a lot, very romantically compared to the others," Lotor continues in casual conversation. "I will make this quick. I have no interest in Voltron, not like my father. I will withhold the information about the Voltron Coalition from the Empire and in return you and your allies will leave me and my Generals alone."

Lance growls. "You know we can't do that. Not while innocent people are suffering under your rule."

"Oh no, you misunderstand," Lotor corrects him. "You may continue to wage your war for the freedom of the universe with my father's Empire."

Brows knit together in confusion, Lance gapes. "That's... it? That's..."

"Anticlimactic?" Lotor supplies with a raised eyebrow. "Not everything needs to be so dramatic." He nods to his fourth companion. "Release the Green Paladin and send the two of them on their way." He smiles, a smug one that shows his sharp fangs. "I trust you will inform the Coalition of our agreement. Zethrid, if you please."

"I certainly do," Zethrid purrs.

Lance yelps as he's hoisted over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and he didn't even  _ like _ potatoes. Ezor lifts Pidge in the same manner and they are carried out of the hangar.

A pool of guilt swells in his stomach. Who was he to make a decision of this magnitude for the entire Coalition. That was Allura's job! They made decisions for Voltron as a  _ team _ . For all Lance fancies himself a leader, he doesn't like being tasked with putting the team into a corner like this.

Not that he has much choice. Lotor has made his threat clear.

The Red Lion opens its ramp as they approach, sensing through Lance that they are free to go. He and Pidge are both dumped unceremoniously at the base.

"Bye red kitty, it was nice to have you over for a bit!" Ezor says as she waves.

Zethrid pounds her fists with a smirk. "Come back again soon."

Scrambling to his feet, Lance lifts Pidge as gently as he can, careful to avoid the more gruesome looking wounds. None of them look critical, but all the same Lance will feel better once she's safe in a cryo-pod. Then, his chest flutters uncomfortably, they will have to have a talk.

Maybe he'll never have to bring up that he knows what is surely one of Pidge's most closely kept secrets. Part of him is afraid of how he will respond. Long has he sought Allura’s affections and now his world is turned upside down with the revelation that a girl, a girl that he’s  _ already _ very close to, has feelings for him.

Now that it's been brought to his attention, Lance isn’t sure if he doesn’t feel the same. Pidge is one of his favorite people in the universe and always a bright spot in his day. She’s been far more patient with him lately and more often than not when he asks a question, she answers in a way he can understand.

Lance isn’t sure if he’s getting smarter or…Pidge is learning how to speak his language. 

Perhaps it’s time he learned to speak hers. 

He walks with his back to the Red Lion, keeping a wary eye on Lotor’s companions. A part of him doesn’t believe that they’re free to go, why would Lotor not care that Voltron continues to fight against the Empire? An Empire Lotor stands to inherit?

A question for later, he’s sure Allura and Shiro will work to get that information out of him now that Lotor has made contact with them. Lance is just thankful he’s in and out, uharmed and getting Pidge to safety. 

Red closes up once the two are inside and Lance lies Pidge on the floor of the cockpit. She’s breathing and stable, so he takes the controls with determination and a singular focus to get back to the Castle. 

For tense moments Lance waits for Lotor to fire at him as he pilots Red away from the outpost. When nothing happens, Lance pushes the throttle as far up as he can - max speed to return to the Castle. 

Lotor lets him go. All systems in the Red Lion turn green, as if nothing had ever happened. 

But something  _ had _ happened and Lance now must deal with the fallout to both. 

“Lance here, I found Pidge and we’re coming home…” he takes a deep breath, “and we all need to have a nice long team meeting when we do.”

Hunk responds in relief, Shiro joyful, and Allura joins in the conversation - alive and well and free - to comment on her happiness that Pidge is found. 

He’ll fill his team in on Lotor’s ultimatum in person. For now, Pidge is his more pressing concern. 

Patting the console, Lance smiles a smile he doesn’t quite feel. “You know the way home, Bud. Let Green know Pidge is okay for me.”

The Red Lion purrs slowly in approval. 

Lance moves to sit beside Pidge, lifting her head into his lap for maximum comfort. Her face is relaxed, eyes closed as if in peaceful slumber and not injury induced unconsciousness. He sighs. 

“I’ll be honest,” he starts. “My heart’s a little confused but I’m also flattered and think it’s really cute you have a crush,” he chuckles nervously, “just like you and your bayard - which  _ also _ kick quiznak!” he amends quickly. 

Shoulders slumping and more relaxed when she doesn’t hit him, he continues, running his hands through her thick hair and massaging her scalp. “I’m just glad you’re safe, Pidge. I was so scared when I saw you lying there in Lotor’s grasp. I swear I’ll never let you get in that position again. If you ever need a backup you just tell me and I’ll suit up just… I  _ know _ I don’t want a life without you in it.”

Color returns to Pidge’s cheeks. Lance’s heart skips a beat when she moves her hand to take one of his. She slowly opens her eyes, tears barely held back. “You really mean all that?” she asks weakly.

His throat goes dry. “I-I guess I do,” he stammers. “You were awake?”

“I couldn’t let Lotor know I was listening in on him,” she says quietly, still tired and sore from whatever she’s endured. “He-he knows  _ everything _ , Lance.” She chokes on a sob. “I could feel his friend roving around my brain, unlocking every door no matter how hard I tried to keep her out.”

Lance’s heart sinks. “It’s not your fault, Pidge,” he assures her. “The important thing is you’re safe. We’re headed back to the Castle. You’ll get a pod and be good as new before you know it.”

Her eyes go wide, no longer looking as if she’s just waking up. Flipping over, she rises to her knees and faces him. “N-no, I can’t go back yet. Matt is in trouble! I  _ found _ him - I had him in my arms before the bounty hunter came. I got dropped off with Lotor, but Matt could be anywhere, we have to go get him!”

Before he can properly protest, Pidge drags him to his feet and swings him into the pilot’s chair. She pulls up the HUD on her gauntlet. “I’m transferring our last known position. It’s not been long so I should be able to trace his ship.”

“Pidge,” Lance stresses, even as Red purrs in acknowledgment of the new coordinates. “You are  _ injured _ .”

“And Matt could be killed or lost again if we don’t act now,” she says sternly, glaring pointedly at him. “Or did you not mean what you said about offering to help?”

Lance gapes, but realizes she’s right. He trusts her, and Matt’s life hangs in the balance. “Okay,” he says, resolute in his decision. “Let’s go get your brother.”

~~~~~~

Pidge crouches under him, bayard at the ready while he does the same with his. The bounty hunter has no clue they are here and Lance prefers to keep it that way.

He hasn’t moved from the communications asteroid where Pidge found her brother. Matt is gagged, tied up, and unconscious nearby and Lance only needs just the right shot to incapacitate the bounty hunter who is blessedly distracted and in communication with a Galra commander he doesn’t recognize. 

“And you have no witnesses?” the commander asks, a tone that leaves no room for lies. 

“None,” the bounty hunter says gruffly. “But i’m adding another ten thousand GAC for the hazard pay clause. I had to fight one of the Voltron Paladins for him.”

The commander’s eyes grow wide. “What? You said there were no witnesses,” she growls.

“There are none,” the bounty hunter says smugly. “I gave her to Prince Lotor as a show of good faith to the Empire.”

Her face twists in disgust and Lance files that under very interesting information. Was Lotor not well liked inside the Empire? “Very well. Wait there, I will arrive with my flagship shortly.”

She cuts off communication and Lance slides his foot gently against Pidge’s. They need to act now. Even the Red Lion alone won’t be taking on a Galra battlecruiser anytime soon. 

Without waiting for her response, he shoots. 

The laser bullet hits its mark and the bounty hunter gasps. Pidge’s bayard hits him at the same time, sending electricity through his body. He slumps to the ground. Lance races over, poking him with his rifle to make sure he’s unconscious. Only when the bounty hunter doesn’t respond does he sigh in relief, rifle swinging to his side. If only every mission could be this easy.

“Matt!” Pidge exclaims, hugging and untying her brother as quick as she can. He remains unconscious, but not any worse for the wear than Pidge is.

“Let’s get back to the Castle before our friend wakes up and the Galra get here,” Lance says. “With Lotor knowing what he knows I’m super uneasy about having the team split up like this.”

Pidge nods. “Right. Help me get him up.”

Lance slings one of Matt’s arms around his shoulders as Pidge does the same with his other. Like partners in a three-legged race the scramble towards where the Red Lion is waiting patiently.

“That went way too easily,” he mutters.

Pidge winces. “You really shouldn’t be saying that yet,” she scolds him. “And I wouldn’t really call both of us being used by Lotor easy.”

Lance bites his lip, thoughts wavering to the Prince’s words regarding Pidge’s feelings towards him. “Was… Lotor telling the truth?” he asks as they walk up the ramp to Red’s mouth.

“I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t lie. He never spoke to me directly, so I don’t think he knew I was awake. He just told Narti to take a look inside my head,” Pidge says somberly. 

Slowly setting Matt down in the cockpit, Lance takes his seat with a gulp. “I uh, gathered that since he knew your name and all.” Gathering up his courage with a deep breath, he continues, “I meant the other thing.”

“Oh,” Pidge says with what Lance thinks is growing horror. She occupies herself with checking once more on her brother’s comfort, running a hand through his hair, not looking Lance’s way. 

“We don’t have to talk about it,” Lance says quickly, urging Red to get them out of here. At the cost of ruining what friendship they do have, he doesn’t want to push her.

Pidge stands and places a tentative hand on the pilot's chair. She bites her lip and takes a deep breath. “No more secrets,” she says, as if to herself. Then she looks him in the eye. “Lotor was telling the truth. I like you a lot, as a teammate and a friend, but also every time you want to spend time with me makes me happier than I ever could have imagined.” She chuckles, turning her gaze to the console. “I...often find myself wishing that just once you’d send one of your dumb flirts my way.”

There’s a noticeable flush to her cheeks and it’s Lance’s turn to gulp. “I thought you hated my flirting. You get annoyed when I oooohhhh,” he pauses, eyes bugging out. 

Pidge was  _ jealous _ .

Her cheeks turn as red as the Lion he flies, refusing to look his way. “I  _ like _ puns, okay?” she grumbles, crossing her arms angrily. “And that’s half of your dumb flirting!”

Lance feels his mouth wobble into cat-like satisfaction, absolutely delighted at this turn of events. “Well, I'm here with you and I know you have a crush. What's your third wish?" he teases.

It is both hysterical and adorable to see Pidge all flustered, her mouth flapping trying to come up with a response. With warmth rising in his heart, an excitement at being the reason she is flustered, he continues. "I know we aren't socks, but I think," he says with a soft smirk on his face, "we'd make a great pair."

An inhuman whine escapes her mouth. "Lance you are not being fair right now."

"Since I can't take you on a ferris wheel for a date, I'd say it's about as fair as I can get."

Her jaw drops as well as her arms. "You-you'd want to?"

Lance looks her in the eye, making sure she won't mistake this. "I told you I meant everything I said,” he says seriously. “I don't want to live a life without you. Now that I know you're interested, I'm taking the prerogative to act on it."

"But, Allura..."

"Allura doesn't seem interested in me like that," he tells her with a half-hearted grin. While rejection hurts, he's not going to let it ruin what might be blooming with Pidge. "It's not like I'm suddenly going to want to hang out all the time, we do that  _ anyway _ ," he continues. "Give me a little time - besides,” he shrugs with a half grin, “that's what dating's for right? To see if two people can make it work."

"That's... really mature of you, Lance," Pidge says softly. A small smile tugs up her face. "You've grown a lot since we've been here in space."

"I'm not the only one," he tells her. "You're a lot of fun to hang out with, I wish we'd been on the same page back at the Garrison..." he frowns, reflecting on how isolated she'd made herself. "Hunk and I would've helped you, you know?"

"I know that now," Pidge concedes. Without warning, she swoops in, hugging him so hard she squishes his cheek with her head. Rather than annoying, he leans into it and enjoys the affection. "Thank you Lance, for being a good friend."

"And hopefully a good boyfriend, yeah?" he chuckles. "I can't wait to mess with everyone's heads over this."

Pidge pulls away, a wicked grin on her face. "Oh, I definitely feel the same."

Warmth bubbles up in his soul, excitement on the tips of his toes. If dating Pidge was any ounce the same as being friends with Pidge, then he is assured to have an amazing time.

A groan from behind takes his thoughts away from the ensuing social chaos on the Castleship. Matt sits up, rubbing his head and looking around in confusion. "Where...am I?"

"Matt!" Pidge shouts in delight, sliding to her knees to wrap her brother in the tightest of hugs. "I thought I was going to lose you again."

Lance's heart flutters watching the sibling re-reunion. Pidge has a wonderful glow about her that might be one of the most beautiful sights Lance has ever seen. If this is only a taste of what was to come, then he welcomes it with open arms. 

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [Tumblr](https://rueitae.tumblr.com/). And if you liked this fic, please take a moment to leave a comment on what parts you liked! I would be greatly appreciative to know what works for future fic!


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